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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stick · mark · pitch · fork · cue · fan · trunk · face

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. face — to point toward
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. mark — a grade
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. face — part of the head
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. mark — a trace
  14. pitch — completely
  15. cue — a signal
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. fork — in a road
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. cue — a hint
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. cue — for pool
  24. face — to confront

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com